Big Batch Andouille Gumbo Recipes

Steps:

• Add the oil, chicken and sausage rounds to a stockpot on medium-high heat. Sear the chicken to get color and sausage to get color and render fat, but not to cook fully. As the parts finish searing, use a slotted spoon to remove them and place on a plate, leaving the fat in the pot, about 10 minutes total.
• Add the butter, flour and Cajun seasoning to the pot. Cook on medium heat, constantly stirring, until the roux becomes a rich, dark caramel color, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers, onions, celery, jalapenos and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, to coat, until everything gets tender, 5 to 8 minutes, then add the stock base and 8 cups water and stir to mix the base into the pot. Add the bay leaves and cover the pot to simmer until the gumbo is thickened, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Add the reserved chicken and sausage, then stir in the file powder. Simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.
• Shred the chicken in the pot. Serve over rice with a shake of hot sauce and file powder.

Steps:

• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and the sausage, and cook, stirring, until it has browned and much of the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil, and heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, celery and 2 teaspoons salt, and cook, partially covered, lifting the lid to stir occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes (add a splash of water or broth if the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pot). Add the okra, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and crushed red peppers, and cook, stirring, until the okra begins to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and reserved sausage, and bring to a high simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, to heat through the soup and let the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. If you want the soup thinner, add a little more chicken broth or water. Stir in the vinegar, scallions and parsley, and add salt to taste.
• Let the soup cool to room temperature, then divide it among four 1-quart containers and freeze for up to 1 month.
• To reheat: Let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Thin it with a little water if desired, and adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve with steamed white rice.

Steps:

• Combine peppers, onions, and celery in a bowl and have ready next to the stove. In a large heavy skillet (cast iron is best) heat oil until it just begins to smoke. Gradually add flour, whisking constantly. Continue whisking constantly and cook over medium to medium-high heat until roux is dark brown and very fragrant. Add vegetable mixture and stir with a wooden spoon, continuing to cook, for 2 minutes. Add salt and dry seasonings and garlic and stir to combine, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, then remove pan from heat.
• Place shrimp stock in a large Dutch oven or stockpot and bring to a gentle boil. Gradually add roux mixture to boiling stock, whisking constantly, until completely incorporated and dissolved. Return to a boil and add the andouille, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then add shrimp and turn off heat. Let gumbo sit for 5 minutes to allow shrimp to cook, then serve immediately over a scoop of plain white rice.
• Note: You can do everything in this recipe up to the point of adding the shrimp beforehand; bring gumbo up to a boil before adding shrimp to serve.
• Cooking the roux can be tricky. For safety's sake, wear good oven mitts while whisking (roux can cook to nearly 400 degrees F!) and be very careful not to let it burn on the bottom. If black bits show up in the roux before it is done, you must start over, boo-hoo. If the roux starts to smoke, remove it from the heat for a few minutes and keep whisking?remember that the pan will retain a lot of heat that will continue to cook the roux even off the flame. This is not a quick project! Your patience will be rewarded with a rich, delicious gumbo.
• Peel and de-vein the shrimp and reserve the shells. Refrigerate the shrimp until needed. In a saucepan or stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Then, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring constantly, until shells are pink and fragrant. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add water to the pot to just past the level of the shrimp shells and add peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Skim impurities (i.e., scum) from top of stock and simmer for approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Strain stock and reserve.

Steps:

• In 4-quart heavy stock pot over moderately high heat, heat oil. Reduce heat to moderately low and whisk in flour. Cook, stirring frequently with wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula, until mixture becomes dark brown and has intensely nutty aroma, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in onion, pepper, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock. Raise heat to moderate and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until mixture has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add bay leaves, shrimp, sausage, and okra and simmer, uncovered, until okra is tender, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and stir in salt, cayenne, and black pepper.
• Divide rice among 4 large bowls. Ladle gumbo over, and serve with hot sauce and filé powder for sprinkling on top.